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Internist vs doctor

The differences between internists and doctors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an internist has an average salary of $223,415, which is higher than the $208,582 average annual salary of a doctor.

The top three skills for an internist include patients, primary care and EMR. The most important skills for a doctor are patients, customer service, and emergency medicine.

Internist vs doctor overview

InternistDoctor
Yearly salary$223,415$208,582
Hourly rate$107.41$100.28
Growth rate7%7%
Number of jobs31,65914,571
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 35%Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Average age4848
Years of experience6-

What does an internist do?

An internist is a physician of internal medicine whose primary duty is to diagnose and treat different illnesses and injuries. Their responsibilities revolve around conducting initial assessment and examination, reviewing medical records and histories, providing consultations, prescribing medicines, and coordinating with different health care workers to ensure optimal care and service to patients. Moreover, it is essential to discuss and explain conditions to patients or their families, monitor their condition, provide health care advice, and refer them to any specialists or support services as needed.

What does a doctor do?

A doctor is a medical expert who diagnoses and treats illnesses and injuries, often specializing in particular areas. Their responsibilities revolve around conducting initial interviews and examinations, studying a patient's medical history and laboratory results, providing consultations and care advice, prescribing medication, and referring patients to specialists when necessary. They must also coordinate and maintain an active communication line with nurses, administrators, and technicians for a smooth workflow. Moreover, a doctor must educate patients about their health conditions, helping them understand their situation better.

Internist vs doctor salary

Internists and doctors have different pay scales, as shown below.

InternistDoctor
Average salary$223,415$208,582
Salary rangeBetween $120,000 And $415,000Between $106,000 And $408,000
Highest paying CitySpringfield, OHGreen Bay, WI
Highest paying stateAlaskaOhio
Best paying companyCentral Ohio Primary CareSaint Luke's Health System
Best paying industryHealth CareHealth Care

Differences between internist and doctor education

There are a few differences between an internist and a doctor in terms of educational background:

InternistDoctor
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 35%Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Most common majorMedicineMedicine
Most common collegeUniversity of VirginiaDuke University

Internist vs doctor demographics

Here are the differences between internists' and doctors' demographics:

InternistDoctor
Average age4848
Gender ratioMale, 37.3% Female, 62.7%Male, 45.8% Female, 54.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 5.3% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 10.0% Asian, 19.0% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%Black or African American, 5.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 18.6% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage13%13%

Differences between internist and doctor duties and responsibilities

Internist example responsibilities.

  • Train and manage new interns/ volunteers assisting with the evidence-based hypertension management program.
  • Implement EMR solely in a huge practice.
  • Evaluate health education needs of patients and provide necessary training and instruction.
  • Provide overall quality prenatal health care, gynecological services, patient triage, refer patients with complications, provide patient education service
  • Perform uncomplicated surgical extractions, bone grafting and suturing as needed independently.
  • Provide physiotherapy, rehabilitation and chiropractic treatment for various conditions and injuries.
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Doctor example responsibilities.

  • Manage conditions including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, hypothyroidism, asthma, and GERD.
  • Develop personalize treatment plans, rehabilitation plans, exercise plans, report of findings, nutritional plans and narrative reports.
  • Perform patient x-rays, provide MRI consultations.
  • Perform x-rays of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine.
  • Hire, train, educate and monitor staff in HIPPA policies and procedures.
  • Create, update, and maintain confidential patient EHRs in compliance with all HIPAA laws and regulations.
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Internist vs doctor skills

Common internist skills
  • Patients, 30%
  • Primary Care, 13%
  • EMR, 7%
  • Critical Care, 6%
  • Private Practice, 6%
  • Rehabilitation, 5%
Common doctor skills
  • Patients, 33%
  • Customer Service, 12%
  • Emergency Medicine, 5%
  • Surgery, 5%
  • DR, 4%
  • Cleanliness, 3%

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